I Choose Peace...

Some people say, "Prepare for the worst, Hope for the best".  Unfortunately, I tend to get stuck on that first part.  Prepare for the worst.  And because that has been ingrained in my head, I find myself always assessing a situation and preparing for the worst... coming up with all the [bad] possible outcomes and working myself into a frenzy.

     But why?

I know it's important to be aware that there is always the potential for something bad to happen, but always expecting the worst and just worrying about it happening is no way to go into every situation of every day.

Expecting bad things to happen really takes a toll on your attitude and can truly have an affect on the outcome of your day.  If you are constantly on guard, watching and waiting for something bad to happen, you aren't giving yourself any chance to enjoy your surroundings, company and life.

A friend once told me that we, whether we call ourselves realists or pessimists, often become self-fulfilling prophecies.  If all we do is dwell on the negatives and expect something horrible to happen.... we practically will it to happen -- after all, if all we do is anticipate the bad, we aren't able to see the good that is happening around us.

The most [or only] peaceful place in Burbank

This was an old post that was left as a draft for quite a while... and after everything that happened with Porter over the last week, I've realized just how important this concept is.  If all I do is worry about if Porter will ever again walk with full strength and control, I'm blinding myself to all the little victories and joys of having him here with us.

Not long ago I came across a picture that said simply this:  "I choose peace, not ________."  Yes, the blank was there, so you customize it to your needs and situations.

I'm going to try very hard to focus my thoughts on this whenever I start to think negatively, or feel anxious about something.

So for today... I choose peace, not worry.  I choose peace, not control.  And I choose peace, not doubt.

     

 I'm pretty sure Porter has this peaceful thing down pretty well :)